Size Up Salad Bar Serving Spoons

Most spoons and tongs in salad bar ingredient containers hold 2 tablespoons, so you can count as you dish them up. Smaller spoons found in toppings such as nuts and sunflower seeds hold about 1-1/2 teaspoons, which is enough to add crunch without excess calories.

Fill Up on Dark Leafy Greens

The bottom half of a standard salad bar carryout container holds 4 cups of salad greens (loosely packed). A cup of lettuce or spinach has just 1-2 grams of carbohydrate and fewer than 10 calories, yet its bulk helps fill you up. Go with the darker greens -- they're more nutritious.

Limit Dressing to 1 Tablespoon per 2 Cups Salad

Most salad dressing ladles hold 1-2 tablespoons. Spoon dressing into a small paper condiment cup, which typically holds 2 tablespoons. Beware of salad dressing ramekins and disposable dressing containers, which may hold as much as 4-8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup).

*Salad Bar Extra: Seek alternatives to prepared salad dressing. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a few splashes of vinegar are two dressing alternatives that are very low in calories and sodium. Many salad bars also offer olive oil, so you can mix a bit of it with vinegar to make your own vinaigrette. Just know that every teaspoon of oil you use contains 40 calories.

Include a High-Protein Topping

Salad will satisfy hunger longer if it includes a good source of protein, such as grilled chicken breast, hard-boiled egg, beans, or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Tuna salad, ham, or cottage cheese will add protein as well, but plan for the extra fat and sodium if you choose any of these options.

*Salad Bar Extra: Rather than piling on every ingredient at the salad bar, choose a theme based on the ingredients at hand. On the following slides are five ideas with a mix of flavors, colors, and textures -- plus good nutrition!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Enjoy sweet, juicy strawberries paired with nutrient-dense mushrooms and tangy tuna salad. This is the ultimate salad to keep you feeling full. It boasts 20 grams of protein and 10.5 grams of fiber -- both nutrients known to satiate hunger.

Sweet Beet Salad

Beets, raspberry vinaigrette, and apples make this salad the perfect answer to a sweet craving. This salad has just 343 calories, plus, thanks to its main ingredient -- beets -- you get a forkful of potassium and folate.

*Salad Bar Extra: Slivered almonds cost 45 percent less on a salad bar than regular retail. A recent study suggests eating 1 ounce of almonds as part of a meal may help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes in people with type 2 diabetes.